Winfield's Good Old Days marks 50th anniversary

These are the good old days.

Those words take on new meaning in light of the upcoming Good Old Days celebration in Winfield.

This Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 7 to 10, the community summer celebration that has become a significant part of the village's history celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Several local charities will join with the village, the park district and the Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce to present music, food and activities, including a few ways to catch a glimpse of what Winfield was like even before the festival's start in 1968.

“Last year we started historic trolley rides through town. Riders visit 26 historic sites,” said Patti Weber, a member of the volunteer committee charged with coordinating festival logistics.

The free trolley rides will be offered Saturday and Sunday.

The Winfield Historical Society will present a ladies shoe-kicking contest at 3 p.m. Saturday.

The historical society also will host an awards ceremony at noon Saturday, recognizing top entries in a coloring contest, depicting scenes from Winfield's history, conducted in conjunction with area schools.

The ceremony will be at Hedges Station, the village's oldest building. Built in 1849 as a freight depot, the building has been repurposed several times and these days serves as the society's museum, Curator Jim McGuire said.

The building was once a general store, a post office and a tavern able to accommodate overnight guests, he said. From 1897 through 1976, it was a residence for the Michael Besch family.

“After the last member of the Besch family passed, the village acquired the building,” McGuire said.

The building was moved to its current location in 1981 and is owned by the Winfield Park District. The historical society renovated it, bringing it back to its original appearance as a train depot, McGuire said. It's open to visitors on Wednesdays from March through November.

While learning about Winfield's past, Good Old Days visitors will find some top-level entertainment, Weber said.

American English, a popular Beatles tribute band, will take the stage from 8:45 to 11 p.m. Friday.

For youth, a teen dance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday features a disc jockey. Before that, a youth talent showcase begins at 3 p.m. Saturday.

“We have singing soloists, dancers, pianists and a brass quintet doing 'Bohemian Rhapsody,'” Weber said.

For the youngest festivalgoers, the Kid Zone will be open Friday through Sunday with kiddie carnival rides, four inflatable bounce houses, pony rides, a petting zoo and face painting. Weber said a $13 wristband good for all Kid Zone activities, plus a hot dog meal from the Knights of Columbus Council 8002, will be available.

The shoe-kicking contest isn't the only offbeat event at Good Old Days. At 2 p.m. Saturday, there will be meatball-eating and egg toss contests.

And Saturday and Sunday, the Winfield Lions Club will present a bean bag tournament. The club also sponsors a beer tent. Proceeds help fund the Lions' philanthropic projects, Weber said.

A business expo with vendor booths will be open on Church Street Friday through Sunday. New this year is the addition of a food truck from Gnarly Knots, a Winfield-based purveyor of specialty stuffed pretzels, Weber said, that will be on site Friday.

The whole event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the Lions tent with the Knights of Columbus scholarship barbecue dinner, which will feature a silent auction and live entertainment provided by West Urban Jazz. Funds raised go to the Knights' scholarship fund.

“They give out 12 scholarships a year to college students,” Weber said.

Good Old Days wraps up Sunday afternoon with a duck race at 10 a.m. in Lions Park and a 35-unit parade that steps off at 1 p.m. at Winfield Road and Sunnyside Street.

Weber, a 20-year Winfield resident who has been involved with presenting Good Old Days for 10 years, said the event draws both newcomers and longtime Winfield fans.

“People who move away, a lot of them will come back for Good Old Days,” she said.

Winfield's 50th annual Good Old Days

<b>When:</b> 5:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7; noon to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10

<b>Where:</b> Beecher Avenue and Church Street, Winfield

<b>Admission:</b> Free

<b>Info:</b> <a href="http://www.winfieldgoodolddays.com">winfieldgoodolddays.com</a>